Part 6: a Company’s Registered Office
Section 86: A company’s registered office
189.This section restates section 287(1) of the 1985 Act. It requires every company to have a registered office and provides for that office to be an address to which communications and notices may be sent. Section 1139 provides that the service of a document on a company is effective if it is sent to its registered office.
Section 87: Change of address of registered office
190.This section restates section 287(3) to (6) of the provisions of the 1985 Act. It provides the means by which a company may change the address of its registered office.
Section 88: Welsh companies
191.This section provides a definition of a Welsh company. A company can be set up as a Welsh company by delivering to the registrar a statement on formation that its registered office is to be situated in Wales (see section 9(2)(b)). Subsection (2) restates section 2(2) of the 1985 Act whereby a company may become a Welsh company by passing a special resolution (so that the register states that its registered office is to be situated “in Wales”). As recommended by the CLR, subsection (3) provides a mechanism whereby a company can cease to be a Welsh company (i.e. so that the register states that its registered office is to be situated in “England and Wales”). This is new. At present, while a company may choose to restrict the address of its registered office to Wales on formation or subsequently by special resolution, it is not possible under the 1985 Act for a Welsh company to drop the restriction so that its registered office address can be changed to anywhere in England and Wales.
192.Welsh companies may deliver documents to the registrar in Welsh (see section 1104). Welsh companies may also end their company name with Welsh versions of the statutory indicators of legal status. For example, “cyfyngedig” in place of “limited” or “c.c.c.“ in place of “p.l.c.” (see sections 58 and 59). When a company ceases to be a Welsh company using the procedure under this section, it may no longer take advantage of these provisions.
193.Where a company passes a special resolution under subsection (2) or (3) (and so becomes or ceases to be Welsh company) subsection (4) provides that the registrar will amend the register and issue the company with a new certificate of incorporation.